<b><i>Kai’s </i></b><b><i>POV</i></b><b><i>: </i></b>


    We all sat in silence as Zelma Fynch told us a harrowing story of Gracie’s upbring, filling in any gaps that Tyler had not yet received. If I was disgusted with the Rochesters before this…now my feelings were that of pure unadulterated hatred. I wanted them to burn a million years and only then…would I allow them to die a gruesome death.


    There was something I needed to know. A question that had been burning my mind since learning about the Rochesters.


    <i>“</i>Ms. <i>Fynch</i><i>…</i><i>by </i><i>any </i><i>chance </i><i>do </i><i>you </i><i>know </i><i>WHY </i><i>the </i><i>Rochesters </i><i>hate </i><i>Gracie </i>so <i>much</i><i>?</i><i>” </i>


    She stared at me with a nk expression before answering.


    <i>“I </i><i>honestly </i><i>don’t </i><i>know </i><i>Mr. </i><i>Christiansen</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>


    <i>Dammit</i><i>. </i>


    I was just about to tell Tyler we would have to find another way to gather that information when she


    continued.


    “<i>What </i><i>I </i><i>can </i><i>tell </i><i>you </i><i>however</i>….(<i>sigh</i><i>)</i><i>….</i><i>My </i><i>madam </i><i>never </i><i>had </i><i>any </i><i>intentions </i><i>of </i><i>that </i><i>child </i><i>surviving</i>.”


    The room fell inplete silence at thatst part. Was she implying…no…that couldn’t be it….I


    needed rification.


    <i>“</i><i>Are </i><i>you </i><i>saying </i><i>there </i><i>was </i><iplications </i><i>during </i><i>Gracie’s </i><i>birth</i><i>?</i><i>” </i>


    Her eyes went dead as she stared at me.


    <i>“</i><i>No </i><i>sir</i><i>…</i><i>she </i><i>was </i><i>born </i><i>perfectly </i><i>healthy</i><i>. </i><i>8lbs</i>…7oz…<i>19ins </i><i>long</i><i>. </i>A <i>head </i><i>full </i><i>of </i><i>curly </i><i>thick </i><i>dark </i><i>hair</i><i>…</i><i>she </i>


    <i>was </i><i>perfect</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>


    Parys then asked.


    <i>“</i><i>So</i><i>, </i><i>then </i><i>what </i><i>exactly </i><i>do </i><i>you </i><i>mean </i><i>by </i><i>your </i><i>madam </i><i>having </i><i>no </i><i>intentions </i><i>of </i><i>her </i><i>surviving</i><i>?</i><i>” </i>


    Her expression and her silence said it all.


    <b>11:13 </b><b>Thu</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>11 </b>


    “<i>So</i>, <i>you’re </i><i>telling </i><i>me</i>…<i>she </i>nned to <i>murder </i><i>Grd</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>


    She nodded.


    <i>GASPS</i><i>!!!!! </i>


    “<i>Was </i><i>she </i><i>the </i><i>one </i><i>that </i><i>was </i><i>going </i>to do <i>it</i>…<i>or </i><i>did </i><i>she </i><i>want </i>someone <i>else </i><i>to </i><i>get </i><i>their </i><i>hands </i><i>bloody</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>


    My voice was heavy…I slowly raised my eyes, looking at her with a re of a thousand deaths. She immediately understood what I was implying. <fn8fb1> Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n </fn8fb1>


    Holding her hands up, she rified.


    <i>“</i>Not <i>me </i><i>Mr. </i><i>Christiansen</i>! <i>I </i><i>could </i><i>have never-</i>”


    “<i>THEN </i><i>WHO</i>!!<i>” </i>


    My fist mmed on the table; I could no longer contain my rage. They were going to kill her! Gracie!! My fucking Gracie!!!


    <i>“</i><i>I</i><i>–</i>It <i>was</i>…a <i>man </i><i>they </i><i>often </i><i>hired </i>to-”


    “<i>His </i><i>name</i><i>!!!</i><i>” </i>


    I barked at Zelma Fynch causing her to shutter. Tyler ced his hand on my shoulder as Cameron stood up. Just then, the waiter walked in with Zelma’s order.


    <i>“</i><i>Get </i><i>the </i><i>fuck </i><i>out</i><i>!!!</i>”


    I roared as the waiter walked over. I needed him gone now so that she could tell me the name of the fucking asshole that was going to kill Gracie as a baby!!


    Tyler pulled me over to the corner. My rage was boiling over. At this rate, I was going to hurt


    someone.


    Cameron notion for the waiter to bring the dish. He whispered something in the waiter’s ear and then handed him what looked like money. The waiter smiled and nodded. He gave one more nervous nce in my direction before leaving.


    “<i>You </i><i>have </i><i>to </i><i>calm </i><i>down </i><i>Kai</i>. <i>She’s </i><i>just </i><i>telling </i><i>us </i><i>what </i><i>she </i><i>knows</i><i>. </i><i>I </i><i>know </i>it’s <i>a </i><i>lot</i><i>…</i><i>but </i><i>you </i><i>have </i><i>to </i><i>calm </i>


    <i>down</i>.<i>” </i>


    50


    I looked at my best friend; his expression was weary as well as empathetic. Though I think the empathy was for Gracie.


    I took a few breaths. He was right. I needed to calm down. I immediately thought of Gracie<b>, </b>and


    then…as if she could sense my stress…Gracie sent me a text message.


    The text was a picture of her eating a vani ice cream cone with sprinkles.


    She was smiling brightly but with a mischievous grin. Below the picture was a text.


    <b><i>[</i></b><b><i>Look </i></b><i>what </i>I’m <i>eating</i><i>! </i><b>I </b><i>miss </i><b>you</b><b><i>! </i></b><b><i>I </i></b><b><i>hope </i></b><b><i>you </i></b><b><i>like </i></b><i>what </i><b>I </b><b><i>brought</i></b>…<b><i>only </i></b><b><i>for you</i></b><b><i>…</i></b><b><i>something </i></b><b><i>you </i></b><i>would </i><i>like</i><i>.</i><b><i>] </i></b>


    50


    And just like that; all the anger and fire that was burning inside my chest began to simmer. How the universe knew what could calm me…was always mystery to me. I smiled lightly as I began to reply


    back.


    [<b><i>Well </i></b><b><i>then </i></b><b><i>Miss </i></b><b><i>Grd</i></b><i>…</i><i>I </i><b><i>look </i></b><i>forward </i><i>to </i><b><i>tonight</i></b><i>. </i>]


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